Egg cleaning device



Aprifi 4 1950 L. S. CRANMER' EI'AL EGG CLEANING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1948 u l L- r. M n 9 D n 3% (Tirol-neg April 1950 L. S. CRANMER ETAL EGG CLEANING DEVICE Filed Jan. 24, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 1950 L. s. CRANMER ErAL 2,502,616

EGG CLEANING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 24, 1948 ummy? @FFEQE 2,5il2,t$lld EGG @LEANHNG IDEVECE Application January 24, llddit, Serial No. 4,31%

Claims. (UL 5ll3) This invention relates to egg cleaning devices, and has for its principal object the provision of a machine adapted to facilitate egg cleaning operations prior to packaging and shipment to market.

A further object or" the invention is the provision of a device of the class described, which adjustable in order to accommodate eggs various sizes.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device adapted to speedy handling of eggs that are only slightly soiled.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a machine in which all the moving parts are readily accessible for inspection or repair;

The above and other objects of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of our invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the device with the top removed, and as viewed from line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4. is an enlarged section of the bufilng wheel taken on line d--& of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged section of the egg rotating spindles taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail showing how an egg is mounted in the chucks;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail illustrating how the end of an egg is cleaned on the device;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a buifing pad;

Figure 9 is an enlarged section of the end buffer taken on line @9 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, an openbottomed boxlike structure is shown, comprising four sides to secured at their adjacent corners by legs it. Hingedly mounted to one of the sides to is a cover it, which forms a base for the elements mounted on the upper side thereof. Other parts of the device are also mounted on the under side of the cover it, as will be described herein.

Depending from the under side of the cover 92 are two parallel, vertical panels it, spaced apart, and connected at their lower edges by a shelf it which normally lies in a horizontal plane. The panels iii are formed, as is shown by numoral it on Figure l, in order that they may clear the sides it when the cover it is raised as indicated in phantom on Figure 1. Thlsfeature of the device permits of ready inspection and access to all moving parts, without dismantling or inverting the machine as a whole.

A driving motor M is mounted on the shelf it between the panels 53, and provides the motive power for a bufing wheel shaft it, and a driving chuck spindle ii. A driving pulley ea, mounted on the motor M, transmits motion through the medium of a'belt it to'a driven pulley 20 which is mounted on an idler shaft 25. Motion is further transmitted from the idler shaft 2i, by means of pulleys 22 and 23, and belt 24, to the driving chuck spindle ll. .Motion is also transmitted, from the idler shaft 2-9, by means of pulleys 25 and 2t, and belt 27, to a counter shaft 28. A second pulley 29, fixedly mounted on the counter shaft 28, transmits motion through the medium of a belt at and pulley ti, to the bufilng wheel shaft 06. Shafts it, 23 and 28 are all mounted, by means of pillow blocks 32, to the underside of the cover it; however, as this is conventional design, no further description is considered necessary. The complete arrangement of shaft, belts and pulleys is shown to best advantage in Figure 3.

The bufllng wheel shaft l6 protrudes through one of the sides it, and. has mounted on its remote end a buffing wheel 33. As will be seen from Figure l, the bufiing wheel 33 comprises flanges 36 and 3d fixedly mounted upon the shaft i6, and having a sponge rubber disc 35, clamped between them by means of a nut 3? which engages the threaded end of the shaft it. A sleeve 38 limits the clamping efiect of the nut 37. The rim of the wheel 33 is encased by a band of sand paper 39, or other suitable abrasive material.

Mounted on the upper side of the cover it are aligned pedestals so and M. Pedestal ti rotatably supports the driving chuck spindle ll, while pedestal to slidably supports a follower chuck spindle ii. The spindles it and 32, which are coaxial, are adapted to clamp an egg therebetween and revolve the same, as can be seen on Figure 6, where an egg E is indicated in phantom. The egg is resiliently held in alignment with the shafts ill and it by means of a driving chuck tit and a follower chuck ii. Chuck 213 is fixedly mounted on the inner end of the shaft H which stops short of the inner face thereof, to form a counter base which is beveled to accommodate a rubber washer $6. The washer it has a concentric, backwardly protruding stem d'l, with an enlarged shoulder 48, which frictionally engages a hole 49 located in the end of the shaft I'I.

The follower chuck 44, which is rotatably mounted on the inner end of the shaft 42, preferably by means of antlfriction bearings 50, is counter bored on its inner face to receive an annular rubber washer having its inner surface beveled to face and be in alignment with the washer 46.

The shaft 42 is adapted to slide axially in its mounting in the pedestal 40, and is held in a normally extended position as shown on Figure 5, by means of a compression spring 52 which surrounds the shaft 42 and acts between the face of the inner boss of the pedestal 42 and a collar 53 fixedly mounted on the shaft 42 adjacent the chuck 44. A handle 54, fixedly mounted on the outer end of the shaft 42, acts as a stop against the face of the outer boss of the pedestal 40 to limit the action of the spring 52.

The outer end of the shaft IT has concentrically mounted thereon an end buffer comprising a fiange 55 having an open ended bushing 59 screwed thereon. Inserted within the bushing 56 is an inner bushing 51 which has a groove 58 cut in the outer wall thereof. Diametrically opposed slots 59 are cut through the wall of the bushing 51 adjacent one edge of the groove 58. A disc of sand paper 60 or other suitable abrasive material, is adapted to cover the outer end of the bushing 5! remote from the slots 59, and has backwardly extending strips 61 which are threaded through the slots. A plug 62 of sponge rubber, is then inserted in the bushing, 51, and acts to form a cushion for the support of the disc 60, and also locks the strips 6! in place. The complete assembly is then inserted in the bushing 56, the strips 6| frictionally engaging the inner surface thereof, and maintaining the parts in assembled relationship.

Figure 8 discloses a buffer pad 62 comprising a block of sponge rubber 63 having a strip of abrasive material 64 wrapped around it.

In operation, any egg which is only slightly soiled, is quickly cleaned by holding it against the rotating wheel 33. An egg which requires more thorough cleaning is mounted as shown on Figure 6 by sliding shaft 42 against the action of the spring 52, by means of the handle 54. The egg is then firmly but lightly held in place between the resilient washers 46 and 5| and the motor started. The chuck 43 rotates the egg which in turn rotates the follower chuck 44 on its rotatable mounting. As the egg is rotated, it is cleaned by means of the pad 62 being held lightly against it.

After the egg is removed, any spots remaining on the ends may be removed by holding them against the end buffer as shown on Figure '7.

All buffing surfaces are resilient, so as not to damage the eggs, and also to accommodate them to the shape of the contacting part of the shell.

The chucks are adapted to maintain the egg in an aligned position while exerting alight pressure thereon. All moving parts are readily available by means of the hinged mounting features.

While we have disclosed a preferred embodiment of our device, it should be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An egg cleaning machine comprising a base a spindle rotatably mounted thereon, a second spindle mounted thereon in axial alignment with said first mentioned spindle, resiliently compressible egg holding device mounted on the adjacent ends of said spindles, and means to drive one of said spindles, the egg holding device on the other spindle being freely rotatable.

2. An egg cleaning machine comprising a rotatably mounted spindle, a slidably mounted non-rotatable spindle coaxial therewith, a driving chuck mounted on the end of the first spindle and a follower chuck rotatably mounted on the end of the other of said spindles.

3. An egg cleaning machine comprising a rotatably mounted spindle, a slidably mounted spindle in axial alignment therewith, an egg receiving chuck fixedly mounted on the first spindle, said chuck having a resilient egg receiving depression-in the end thereof, and a second chuck having a resilient egg receiving depression in the end thereof rotatably mounted on the end of said slidably mounted spindle.

4. An egg cleaning machine comprising a rotatably mounted spindle, a slidably mounted non-rotatable spindle coaxial therewith, a driving chuck mounted on the end of the first spindle, a follower chuck rotatably mounted on the end of the other spindle, resilient means urging said second spindle toward the first spindle. and a cushioned socket in each chuck to engage an end of the egg.

5. An egg cleaning machine comprising a rotatably mounted spindle, a slidably mounted non-rotatable spindle coaxial therewith, a driving chuck mounted on the end of the first spindle, a follower chuck rotatably mounted on the end of the other spindle, resilient means urging said second spindle toward the first spindle, and a cushioned socket in each chuck to engage an end of the egg, and means to limit the sliding of said slidable spindle toward the first spindle.

6. An egg cleaning machine comprising a rotatably mounted spindle, a slidably mounted non-rotatable spindle coaxial therewith, a driving chuck mounted on the end of the first spindle, a follower chuck rotatably mounted on the end of the other spindle, resilient means urging said second spindle toward the first spindle, and a cushioned socket in each chuck to engage an end of the egg, and means to limit the sliding of said slidable spindle toward the first spindle and means to impart rotation to said rotatably mounted spindle.

LEONARD S. CRANMER. MANUEL FERREIRA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 11,593 Conrader Mar. 23, 1897 379,307 Codling Mar. 13, 1888 897,937 Small Sept. 8, 1908 961,525 Baltzley June 14, 1910 1,385,233 Stafford July 19, 1921 2,309,532 Phillips Jan. 26, 1932 

